Breaking the disease-poverty cycle: Do pharmaceutical companies deliver on R&D for neglected diseases in developing countries?
08.06.12
An interesting lunch debate hosted by the MEP Bill Newton Dunn (ALDE, UK) and entitled, Breaking the disease-poverty cycle: Do pharmaceutical companies deliver on R & D for neglected diseases in developing countries?, took place at the European Parliament last week.
The event brought together researchers, industry, NGOs, authorities and political decision makers to discuss on the research and development for neglected diseases, what it implies for the access to medicines against the local industrial capacity; and for the industry’s commitment to economic development.
The introduction was given by Dr. François Bompard, Vice-President, Medical Director and Deputy Head, Access to Medicines Department at Sanofi, followed by a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Line Matthiessen-Guyader, Head of Unit Infectious diseases at DG Research and Innovation.
The panel included Dr. Petra Keil, Head Global Public Policy for Novartis and IFPMA Chairman of the Global Health Committee, Pr. Marleen Bolaert, Institute of Tropical Medicine of Antwerp, Dr. Jean-Pierre Paccaud, Director Business Development of the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi) and Pr. Wilfred Mbacham, Biotechnology Centre University of Yaounde.
Neglected tropical diseases — An increase funding is needed
In his introduction, François Bompart from Sanofi quoted the World Health Organisation (WHO) saying:
“Efforts to control neglected tropical diseases constitute a pro-poor strategy on a grand scale. The logic has changed: instead of waiting for these diseases to gradually disappear as countries develop and living conditions improve, a deliberate effort to make them vanish is now viewed as a route to poverty alleviation that can itself spur socioeconomic development.”
He reminded the assembly that earlier this year, in London, major commitments were made by the private sector in relation to the most-neglected disease (read below for further information). In the meantime, an authoritative report from WHO suggested public sector global funding for tropical diseases may be falling, while many agree that in order to turn the emerging pipeline of new treatments into medicines available to patients, an increase in funding is needed.
The industry’s point of view — A long term commitment by pharma industry to Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)
Petra Keil from EFPIA GHI reminded that 1 billion people were affected worldwide by one of the 17 neglected tropical diseases.
Combined efforts of industry and other stakeholders over the last decade resulted in a rich portfolio of > 100 new drug candidates awaiting clinical development, the most challenging and costly phase. According to her, only responsible, sustainable, long-term and inclusive solutions would have a lasting impact through:
- Capacity building
- A sound business plan for R&D and beyond, including sustainable funding
- Where market does not exist, innovative financing mechanism required for R&D (push/pull incentives) and beyond
- Positive environment for collaboration and partnership
Jean-Pierre Paccaud, from Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), noticed a shift in the way pharma was approaching the issue of neglected diseases. Indeed, even if poor patients do not represent business incentives, the industry begins to invest in diseases like malaria, sleeping sickness or chagas through product development partnerships.
As he explained, the aim of DNDi is to deliver treatments that are easy to use, affordable, field-adapted and non-patented.
According to Mr Paccaud, in order for DNDi to fulfill all those requirements, there is a need for greater collaboration between WHO, the industry and Europe.
As he said, ”industry is key success of partnership” and PDPs are the way forward for NTD. But Europe should play a greater role: he called for PDPs programmes to be specifically included in Horizon 2020, the new European Framework Programme for Research & Innovation.
The academia perspective — Innovation cannot stop now, better products are needed
Marleen Bolaert, from the Institute of Tropical Medicine of Antwerp, stressed out that Neglected Tropical Diseases strike the poorest and usually in a very fragile health system context, (weak accessibility to treatment).
She agreed the pharmaceutical sector and the product development partnerships helped for greater breakthrough, however, she called for more innovation saying:
“The job is not done, we are now dreaming for new drugs.”
Wilfred Mbacham from the Biotechnology Centre University of Yaounde, acknowledged the need for Africa to:
- Unify approach to R&D
- Adopt a performance mentality by mastery of the steps in drug discovery
- Invest in research infrastructure to be attractive for the outsourcing of innovative technologies from the North
To him, pharma could assist Africa in building its research sector, invest more in neglected tropical diseases and tap on the brain power of the new generation of African genome engineers.
This first debate starts a range of three others, challenging the role pharmaceutical companies play in Developing Countries to enable different stakeholders to meet on one topic and make discussions progress to tangible outputs.
For further information:
See below the links to the presentations given that day:
- Click here to access Dr. Petra Keil’s presentation.
- Click here to access Jean-Pierre Paccaud’s presentation.
- Click here to access Dr. Marleen Bolaert’s presentation.
- Click here to access Pr. Wilfred Mbacham
Last January, the research-based pharmaceutical industry pledges 14 billion treatments to help end nine neglected tropical diseases, click here to read the IFPMA press release.
